Culture surface · Anime
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Anime connects to Sony, Toei Animation, and Bandai Namco through streaming, studios, licensing, merch, and games.
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· Editorial Staff
Tokyo X brings Japanese food, anime, cars and culture to Houston this September
NextShark has partnered with Tokyo X, a fast-growing Japanese culture festival held annually at NRG Center in Houston. Tokyo X 2026 will take place Sept. 26-27 and is expected to welcome more than 20,000 attendees for a weekend of Japanese food, anime, cosplay, live…
· Ryan General
Japan warns OpenAI over AI-generated anime rip-offs
The Japanese government has instructed OpenAI to prevent copyright violations after its Sora 2 video-generation tool produced clips imitating well-known anime. Minister of State for Intellectual Property Minoru Kiuchi announced the directive on Oct. 10, stating that anime and…
· Ryan General
‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ shatters anime box office records
“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle” opened in North America on Saturday, earning about $70 million in its first weekend to become the highest-grossing debut for an anime film in the region. The film outperformed Hollywood titles including “The Conjuring: Last…
· Ryan General
Netflix says half of global users now watch anime
Netflix announced at the 2025 Anime Expo last week that 50% of its more than 300 million global subscribers now watch anime, meaning roughly 150 million users are engaging with anime content on the platform. Viewership on the rise: Over the past five years, Netflix has tripled…
· Bryan Ke
Anime is so popular that the Vatican has created its own anime-inspired mascot
The Vatican has introduced Luce, its first-ever anime mascot Luce. Luce — meaning “light” in Italian — will serve as the Catholic Church’s mascot for the 2025 Jubilee Year, which has the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” Driving the news: Speaking to reporters on Oct. 28, Jubilee…
· Bryan Ke
‘John Wick’ co-creator confirms anime project will serve as prequel
Chad Stahelski, co-creator and director of the “John Wick” franchise, has shared a few details about the mysterious, upcoming “John Wick” anime project. Stahelski first teased an anime version of the popular Lionsgate franchise in late 2023.
· Ryan General
Anime sci-fi gem ‘Planetes’ lands on Crunchy Roll
Cult classic sci-fi anime “Planetes” is finally available to stream in the U.S. on Crunchyroll. Produced in 2003 by Sunrise and directed by Gorō Taniguchi, “Planetes” tells the story of a crew of space debris collectors in the year 2075. Based on the manga by Makoto Yukimura…
· Bryan Ke
‘Uzumaki’ anime team believes the show was ‘cursed by the spiral’
Adult Swim’s Senior Vice President of Anime and Action Series Jason DeMarco believed that Junji Ito’s “Uzumaki” anime adaptation was cursed after the project faced multiple delays. The first delay occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which DeMarco, the show’s executive…
· Bryan Ke
Adult Swim releases trailer for Junji Ito anime ‘Uzumaki’
Adult Swim on Thursday released a trailer for the highly anticipated horror anime adaptation of Junji Ito’s “Uzumaki.” The four-episode series, which was delayed multiple times since the COVID-19 pandemic, will premiere on Adult Swim’s Toonami block on Sept. 28, followed by a…
· Ryan General
Voice of ‘Pokemon’ anime’s Misty dies at 55
Rachael Lillis, the voice actor behind Misty and Jessie in the English dub of the “Pokemon” anime series, died on Aug. 10 at age 55 after a battle with breast cancer. The news was shared by her colleague Veronica Taylor, the voice of Ash Ketchum, and confirmed by her sister…
· Ryan General
‘Ranma 1/2’ anime returns with original voices
Classic manga series “Ranma ½” is making a comeback with a brand new anime adaptation directed by Konosuke Uda and animated by MAPPA. The original Japanese voice cast from the 1989 anime series will be reprising their roles, with Kappei Yamaguchi returning as Ranma Saotome and…
· Ryan General
100-year-old anime discovered in Japan
A silent anime film, believed to be over 100 years old, has been discovered in Japan. Key points:
· Ryan General
‘Naruto’ studio president: Censorship of anime weakens its global popularity
The president of the anime studio behind “Naruto” and “Bleach” believes that self-censoring anime to appeal to overseas audiences will ultimately hurt its global appeal and make the content “boring.” Key points:
· Bryan Ke
Netflix’s 2024 anime lineup includes ‘Gundam,’ ‘My Hero Academia’ and ‘One Piece Film: Red’
Netflix unveiled its new lineup of anime series and movies for 2024, which includes popular titles like “My Hero Academia” and the movie “One Piece Film: Red.” Key points:
· Carl Samson
Toyota aims to attract young Asian American customers with original anime series
Toyota is taking its brand to the next level with an anime series aimed at showcasing its vehicles and engaging young audiences. About the series: Produced by Long Beach, California-based Intertrend Communications, “Grip” consists of five episodes centered around Jae Kang and…
· Bryan Ke
Anime film restorer reveals reason why ‘Sailor Moon’ has a pink ‘aesthetic’
A possible explanation has been given as to why the 2000s DVD version of the classic “Sailor Moon” series has a pink tint “aesthetic,” a topic recently sparked discussions on social media. Driving the conversation: X user @kane_hisa kicked off the conversation in a post on Jan.…
· Ryan General
Survey uncovers surprising details about anime’s rise in American pop culture
A new survey conducted by Polygon has shed light on the rising prominence of anime in American popular culture. Unveiling anime’s reach: The entertainment website surveyed over 4,000 U.S. adults to uncover the growing influence of anime and its presence permeating various facets…
· Bryan Ke
Adult Swim drops teaser video for ‘Rick and Morty: The Anime’
Adult Swim has released a new teaser video for its upcoming “Rick and Morty: The Anime” series. What it shows: Released on Tuesday, the teaser briefly shows Rick Sanchez (Yōhei Tadano) speaking to Morty Smith (Keisuke Chiba) while they stand on an alien planet. Rick tells Morty,…
· Bryan Ke
Watch: TikToker plays BTS, Ive and anime songs with traditional Korean instrument
Meet Yageum Yageum, a Korean content creator bridging the gap between traditional and modern music. About the artist: Yageum Yageum, whose real name is Oh Hyun-ji, is a musician who has a following of over 313,000 on YouTube and 697,000 on TikTok. She plays the gayageum, a…
· Ryan General
New anime ‘Monsters’ from ‘One Piece’ creator set for debut
“One Piece” creator Eiichiro Oda’s highly anticipated new anime, “Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation,” has been revealed to arrive soon on Netflix. Countdown begins: “Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation,” adapted from Oda’s one-shot manga “Monsters,” has found its spot on…
Anime → Toei Animation
Anime connects to Sony, Toei Animation, and Bandai Namco through streaming, studios, licensing, merch, and games.
If anime for you means Crunchyroll, soundtracks, figures, games, or theater releases, these are some of the companies sitting behind it.
People & Works
Open
Culture surface · Anime
Anime slate
Anime slate is a culture-first entry point into the listed company behind it.
Culture surface · Gaming
Anime-style IP
Anime-style IP is a culture-first entry point into the listed company behind it.
Culture surface · Anime
ACG
ACG connects to Bilibili and the broader anime story around it.
Culture surface · Anime
ACG community
ACG community connects to Bilibili and the broader anime story around it.
Brand · Anime
Aniplex
Aniplex is the Sony-owned production house that quietly bankrolls the anime you think you discovered, monetizing hits like Demon Slayer and Fate not through streaming but through the far richer worlds of gacha games and merch.
Platform · Anime
Bilibili Comics
Bilibili Comics connects to Bilibili and the broader anime story around it.
Platform · Anime
Bilibili Video
Bilibili Video connects to Bilibili and the broader anime story around it.
Platform · Anime
BookWalker
BookWalker is a culture-first entry point into the listed company behind it.
Brand · Anime
Bravia
Bravia connects to Sony Group and the broader anime story around it.
Results
Culture · platform
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll connects to Sony, the company behind the anime streaming app, plus the music, merch, and licensing around it.
Company · Japan · TYO:7832
Bandai Namco Holdings
Bandai Namco sits behind toys, anime IP, games, and licensing that turn fandom into everyday consumer products.
Company · China · NASDAQ:BILI
Bilibili
Bilibili is where China's Gen-Z lives online — anime, gaming, and creator culture, with a fandom so loyal it powers a wildly popular New Year gala.
Company · Japan · TYO:9468
Kadokawa
Kadokawa ties publishing, anime adaptation, games, and fandom discovery into one listed media company.
Company · Japan · TYO:6758
Sony Group
One of the layers behind PlayStation, Sony Music, Sony Pictures.
Company · Japan · TYO:4816
Toei Animation
Toei Animation is tied to some of the biggest anime franchises and the global licensing machine around them.
Company · Japan · TYO:9602
Toho
Toho is the studio behind Godzilla and the distributor of Japan's biggest anime films — the gatekeeper of the country's blockbuster culture.
Company · Japan · TYO:6460
Sega Sammy Holdings
Sega Sammy stewards Sonic, Persona, and Like a Dragon — nostalgic franchises now spanning games, films, and anime for a global fanbase.